China USA
© AP Photo / Andy WongIn a unique display of direct interaction, military officials from the US and China met during a defense chiefs conference held in Fiji earlier this month.
US Indo-Pacific Command leader, Admiral John Aquilino, encountered a top Chinese representative at this gathering, which took place from Aug. 14-16, as reported by the Pentagon. On Thursday, Wu Qian, the Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson, informed the media in Beijing that General Xu Qiling, who is the deputy joint chief of staff of the People's Liberation Army, had discussions with the US delegates. The nature and content of these discussions remain undisclosed by both parties.

Interestingly, Admiral Aquilino had mentioned just a month prior to the conference that China hadn't responded to the US's invitation for participation. Despite this, the conference witnessed representatives from 27 different nations. It is essential to note that China had cut off military interactions after Nancy Pelosi, then the House Speaker, visited Taiwan in August 2022.

This hiatus in ties was further extended when the US identified and subsequently intercepted an alleged Chinese spy balloon traversing US territory in February.

Further, China declined an American proposal for a meeting between Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Chinese equivalent, Li Shangfu, at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore this past June. China's stance is clear; it demands the US to revoke sanctions against Li, who was penalized in 2018 for supervising an arms procurement from Russia.


Comment: China also politely declined an invite from Secretary of State Anthony Blinken during his visit to Vietnam; it did however welcome 'old friend', 100 year old, Henry Kissinger, as well as, Treasury Secretary, Janey Yellen (who, notably, was received a less ceremonial welcome).


The Biden administration over the past few months has been proactive in its attempts to mend fences with China, evident by the multiple visits of civilian cabinet officials to the country.

The Pentagon's spokesperson, Brigadier General Pat Ryder, expressed hope on Thursday that interactions like the one involving Admiral Aquilino become a regular feature, emphasizing the importance of open communication, especially when "two large militaries" co-exist in the same region.